YPSILANTI, Mich. (Nov. 11, 2025) – The ups and downs of the season take a toll on everyone, but ending the season on a high note would mean a great deal to J.R. Todd and the crew known as the Yella Fellas. The 2025 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Countdown to the Championship NHRA Playoffs concludes Nov. 14-16 at the In-N-Out Burger NHRA Finals in Pomona, Calif.
The 2018 NHRA Funny Car champion definitely enjoyed some highlights in 2025. With four-time NHRA Funny Car championship crew chief Dickie Venables joining the team in the off season, expectations were high, and the DHL GR Supra team made steady progress from the season’s start to winning the race in New Hampshire in June. Add a runner-up finish in Brainerd, Minn., and Mission Foods #2Fast2Tasty wins in Bristol, Tenn., and Indianapolis, and it becomes a nice list of highlights.
“We definitely had some high notes during the season,” Todd said. “The win and the runner up were great – and we made a lot of other really strong runs during the season, but we have to get to the point where we can make that happen every time we go down the track. Switching over to the system Dickie runs was a major adjustment, and nobody knows how long things like that take. I’ve been saying it all season; we have to stay patient and keep working until we get there.”
Despite the latter third of the season not living up to expectations, it was and is all part of the transformational process. The team made two strong race day runs two weeks ago in Las Vegas but suffered a quarterfinal loss. After a day of testing following the Las Vegas race, Todd will look to capture his third Pomona win this weekend and end the season on a positive.
“Testing is almost always good, and our Las Vegas test was productive,” Todd added. “With all this team went through this season and all the hard work the Yella Fellas did every week, ending this season with a win would feel really good and be a big positive as we go into next year. Really appreciate the way our guys work – there’s not a better or harder-working team out there, and I’d love to be able to reward those guys with a trophy this weekend.”
Race Information:
In-N-Out Burger NHRA Finals In-N-Out Burger Pomona Dragstrip; Pomona, Calif.
TV Schedule (All times eastern):
2024 NHRA In-N-Out NHRA Finals Recap: Qualified No. 9; beat Cruz Pedregon, lost to Austin Prock.
J.R. Todd Career Stats: 337 events, 22 wins, 27 runners-up, 364 round wins, 14 No. 1 qualifiers.
2025 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series Results to Date:
The post POMONA WIN NO. 3 THE GOAL J.R. TODD, DHL TEAM first appeared on Team Kalitta Motorsports.
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The 2018 NHRA Funny Car champion definitely enjoyed some highlights in 2025. With four-time NHRA Funny Car championship crew chief Dickie Venables joining the team in the off season, expectations were high, and the DHL GR Supra team made steady progress from the season’s start to winning the race in New Hampshire in June. Add a runner-up finish in Brainerd, Minn., and Mission Foods #2Fast2Tasty wins in Bristol, Tenn., and Indianapolis, and it becomes a nice list of highlights.
“We definitely had some high notes during the season,” Todd said. “The win and the runner up were great – and we made a lot of other really strong runs during the season, but we have to get to the point where we can make that happen every time we go down the track. Switching over to the system Dickie runs was a major adjustment, and nobody knows how long things like that take. I’ve been saying it all season; we have to stay patient and keep working until we get there.”
Despite the latter third of the season not living up to expectations, it was and is all part of the transformational process. The team made two strong race day runs two weeks ago in Las Vegas but suffered a quarterfinal loss. After a day of testing following the Las Vegas race, Todd will look to capture his third Pomona win this weekend and end the season on a positive.
“Testing is almost always good, and our Las Vegas test was productive,” Todd added. “With all this team went through this season and all the hard work the Yella Fellas did every week, ending this season with a win would feel really good and be a big positive as we go into next year. Really appreciate the way our guys work – there’s not a better or harder-working team out there, and I’d love to be able to reward those guys with a trophy this weekend.”
Race Information:
In-N-Out Burger NHRA Finals In-N-Out Burger Pomona Dragstrip; Pomona, Calif.
TV Schedule (All times eastern):
- Qualifying Show 1: 6:30-8 p.m. Friday, Nov. 14 on FS1
- Qualifying Show 2: 11-12:30 Sunday, Nov. 16 on FS1
- Finals: 5-8 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 16 on FS1
2024 NHRA In-N-Out NHRA Finals Recap: Qualified No. 9; beat Cruz Pedregon, lost to Austin Prock.
J.R. Todd Career Stats: 337 events, 22 wins, 27 runners-up, 364 round wins, 14 No. 1 qualifiers.
2025 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series Results to Date:
- Gainesville: Qualified No. 11; lost to Bobby Bode.
- Phoenix: Qualified No. 9; defeated Daniel Wilkerson before losing to Bob Tasca.
- Pomona: Qualified No. 7; lost to Daniel Wilkerson.
- Las Vegas: Qualified No. 4: defeated Bobby Bode, Jack Beckman, lost to Matt Hagan, Paul Lee.
- Charlotte: Qualified No. 11; defeated Dan Wilkerson, Bob Tasca; lost to Austin Prock, Ron Capps.
- Chicago: Qualified No. 4; lost to Cruz Pedregon.
- Epping: Qualified No. 10; defeated Cruz Pedregon, Phil Burkart, Alexis DeJoria and Spencer Hyde.
- Bristol: Qualified No. 6; defeated Spencer Hyde; lost to Ron Capps
- Richmond: Qualified No. 3; defeated Buddy Hull and Hunter Green; lost to Austin Prock.
- Norwalk: Qualified No. 12; lost to Matt Hagan.
- Seattle: Qualified No. 3; defeated Cruz Pedregon; lost to Alexis Dejoria.
- Sonoma: Qualified No. 11; lost to Hunter Green.
- Brainerd: Qualified No. 5; defeated Paul Lee, Ron Capps and Jack Beckman; lost to Austin Prock.
- Indianapolis: Qualified No. 7; lost to Bob Tasca.
- Reading: Qualified No. 5; lost to Ron Capps.
- Charlotte: Qualified No. 8; defeated John Smith; lost to Matt Hagan & Jack Beckman.
- St. Louis: Qualified No. 10; lost to Cruz Pedregon.
- Dallas: Qualified No. 10; lost to Cruz Pedregon.
- Las Vegas: Qualified No. 8; defeated Alexis Dejoria; lost to Austin Prock.
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